PHN’s Best Shots of the Game: Gladiators Lose 4-1 in Jacksonville

Posted on March 23, 2026 by Trina Kirk

Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Icemen defeated the Atlanta Gladiators 4-1 on Friday night at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Adam McMaster scored a pair of goals for the Icemen to help them earn the win in the second of three straight games between the two clubs.

After a 2-0 loss to the Icemen at home on Wednesday night, the Gladiators looked for revenge in enemy territory in the rematch on Friday night. Ethan Haider started in net for Atlanta while Topias Leinonen started for Jacksonville.

The Gladiators came out with some great chances to begin the game but could not get the puck to bounce in their favor. Ryley Appelt fought Jaden Condotta 7:31 into the game, igniting some passion into the Gladiators’ game. The Gladiators had a chance on the power play 9:53 into the period but did not convert. With 7:04 left in the first period the Icemen broke the scoreless tie, with Adam McMaster scoring in transition from Jaques Bouquot and Holden Wale to make it a 1-0 Jacksonville lead.

After a scoreless second period, the Icemen broke free in the third period, extending their lead with a power play goal from McMaster. His snipe from the left circle beat Haider to make it 2-0 with 11:50 to play from Jed Pietila and David Jankowski. Almost a minute later, Jacksonville extended its lead to 3-0 after a pass angled perfectly off the end wall found Craig Martin backdoor with 9:08 to play. Martin’s goal was assisted by Jaden Condotta and Tyler Kopff. Trying to claw their way back, the Gladiators managed to rifle in a power play goal from Ryan Conroy with 8:07 to go in regulation. Conroy’s bid from the blue line hit the twine and made it a 3-1 game. Despite their best efforts, it was too little too late. Jacksonville buried an empty netter from Will Hillman with 30 seconds on the clock to seal the final score at 4-1.

Haider stopped 23/26 in the loss, while Leinonen stopped 22/23 for Jacksonville. The Gladiators went 1/3 on the power play and 2/3 on the penalty kill, and were outshot 27-23.

With Atlanta Gladiators match report

Contact the photographer: Trina.Kirk@prohockynews.com

PHN’s Best Shots of the Game: Blades Roll Over Icemen 6-1 for Sixth-0Straight Win

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Trina Kirk

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Everblades continued to roll to begin the month of March posting a 4-1 triumph over the Icemen to make it six straight wins.

Both sides traded chances early in the opening frame, but nothing came to fruition until Oliver Chau broke through, banging home a loose puck off a Jordan Sambrook shot that generated a rebound off the far pad of the Jacksonville netminder. Chau’s 12th of the season, coming with 6:17 remaining in the first period, gave the visitors an early lead. Moments later, Reid Duke nearly doubled the advantage on a cross-ice feed from Hudson Elynuik, but Scott Ratzlaff dove across the crease to keep it a one-goal game.

Late in the frame, the Icemen were awarded a power play on a slashing call against Duke but failed to convert, as Cam Johnson came up with a pair of timely stops to preserve the lead. As the penalty expired, Duke generated another opportunity when the puck found him coming out of the box to spring Florida on a breakaway, but the puck rolled on him, preventing a clean look on goal. The Everblades outshot Jacksonville 10–8 in the period and carried a one-goal advantage into the intermission.

Florida generated early pressure in the middle frame, firing the first three shots of the period but could not extend their lead. The Icemen found the equalizer at the 5:10 mark after a defensive turnover below the goal line led to Logan Cockerill snapping a shot over Johnson’s glove for his first of the season.

Midway through the period, the Everblades capitalized on a power play after Patrick Bajkov was penalized for boarding. Jordan Sambrook restored the lead just 45 seconds into the man advantage, blasting his fourth of the season through traffic over the blocker side of Ratzlaff. Moments later, Sambrook delivered a key defensive play, tracking down Jacques Bouquot on the backcheck to deny a potential breakaway bid after a turnover at the offensive blue line. Florida controlled much of the period, outshooting Jacksonville 12–5 in the middle stanza.

Reid Duke extended Florida’s lead halfway through the third period finishing off a chance set up by Hudson Elynuik for his 13^th of the season to give the Blades some insurance. The score would remain the same until just under two minutes remaining when Oliver Cooper nailed the empty net to make it 4-1.

Cam Johnson earned the win in net stopping 23 of 24 Jacksonville shots including all 11 shots he faced in the final frame for his 18^th win of the season.

With Florida Everblades Match Report

Contact the photographer: Trina.Kirk@prohockeynews.com

PHN’s Best Shots of the Game: South Carolina edges Jacksonville, 3-2 in OT

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Trina Kirk

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – While shorthanded in overtime, South Carolina goaltender Seth Eisele denied two point-blank chances from Jacksonville, keeping the Stingrays alive. Minutes later, the offense rewarded its netminder as Josh Wilkins buried the game-winner, lifting the South Carolina Stingrays to a 3-2 overtime victory over the Jacksonville Icemen on Saturday night at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

Jacksonville (19-25-6-1) opened the scoring early in the first period when Craig Martin gave the Icemen a 1-0 lead less than five minutes in. South Carolina (34-18-1-0) responded nearly ten minutes later, settling into the game and finding the equalizer.

Jordan Klimek, playing in his 200th career ECHL game, snapped a shot from the point past Jacksonville netminder Michael Bullion, tying the game at one with 5:52 left in the opening frame.

In the second period, both sides generated chances on the power play, but South Carolina carried momentum from its opportunity to take the lead. Just nine seconds after the advantage expired, Zac Funk cleaned up a loose puck in the slot to give the Stingrays their first lead of the night, 2-1.

Jacksonville responded less than a minute later, as Ryan Pitoscia tied the game with 6:41 remaining in the second period.

Over the final 20 minutes of regulation, the Stingrays were forced to kill off multiple penalties, including four consecutive minutes midway through the period. The penalty kill stood tall to keep the game tied at two, sending South Carolina to overtime for the second straight Saturday.

The penalty kill was called upon again in the extra frame when Charlie Combs was called for hooking, and the Icemen pushed for the winner. Late in the kill, Jacksonville generated two prime chances to end it, but Stingrays goaltender Seth Eisele turned them both aside to extend the game.

Less than a minute after the penalty kill expired, Josh Wilkins forced a turnover in the offensive zone and blasted home the game-winner, lifting the Stingrays past the Icemen, 3-2.

The victory marked the Stingrays’ seventh overtime win of the season. Eisele earned his 16th win of the year and has now won seven of his last eight appearances.

With South Carolina Stingrays Match Report

Contact the photographer: Trina.Kirk@prohockeynews.com

PHN’s Best Shots of the Game: Icemen Rally for a Point in 2-1 Overtime Loss to Savannah

Posted on February 16, 2026 by Trina Kirk

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Lincoln Griffin scored the game-tying goal with 1:50 remaining to force overtime, 2- 1 before falling in overtime to Savannah in front of an announced crowd of 10,027 at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena. Despite the loss, the Icemen pick up a big point in the standings.

The Ghost Pirates stuck first in the opening period, on a 5-on-3 power play. Reece Vitelli managed to beat Icemen netminder Cameron Rowe with a clean shot that gave Savannah a 1-0 lead.

This score would hold all the way until the final minutes of regulation when the Icemen pulled the goaltender to allow for the extra attacker. Newcomer Lincoln Griffin delivered a shot that tied the game at one with 1:50 remaining in regulation to force overtime.

However, in the extra session, the Ghost Pirates’ Tristan Amonte would tip a shot in front and redirect it past Rowe to seal the game for Savannah in the final minute of overtime by a 2-1 final.

The Icemen reached the 40-shot mark for the second time in as many nights, but Savannah goaltender Noah Giesbrecht was stellar making 39 saves. Savannah’s third ranked penalty also played a big part in the win, killing off a lengthy 5-on-3 by the Icemen and a 4-on-3 situation in overtime.

With Jacksonville Icemen Match Report

Contact the photographer: Trina.Kirk@prohockeynews.com

PHN’s Best Shots of the Game: Stingrays Complete Home-and-Home Sweep, Top Icemen 4-1

Posted on February 1, 2026 by Trina Kirk

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Trailing by a goal after the first 20 minutes, the South Carolina Stingrays scored four unanswered goals over the final two periods to defeat the Jacksonville Icemen, 4-1, on Saturday night at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

In the first period, Jacksonville (17-20-2-0) struck first midway through the frame. Matteo Costantini opened the scoring at the 11:28 mark to give the Icemen a 1-0 lead. South Carolina (27-14-1-0) goaltender Ty Taylor turned aside every other Jacksonville chance, keeping the deficit at one heading into the second period.

Just over five minutes into the middle frame, the Stingrays went to the power play and made it count. Kaden Bohlsen tied the game at 1–1 at the 6:40 mark, registering South Carolina’s second power-play goal of the weekend. Nearly ten minutes later, Stan Cooley buried a backhand rebound to give the Stingrays their first lead of the night, 2-1, with 3:21 remaining in the frame.

Taylor remained sharp in net as the Stingrays carried their lead into the third period. Early in the frame, South Carolina killed off a penalty and withstood a flurry of Jacksonville chances. With Taylor holding the Stingrays in front late, the Icemen pulled their goaltender, and Josh Wilkins sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 1:45 remaining. Patrick Thomas added another empty-net tally with under a minute remaining to cap a 4-1 victory for the Stingrays.

After allowing Costantini’s first-period goal, Taylor stopped the next 17 shots he faced to earn his fourth win of the season. South Carolina had goals from four different skaters, while nine different Stingrays recorded at least one point in the victory.

The Stingrays continue their three-game road trip Sunday afternoon when they face the Orlando Solar Bears. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida.

With South Carolina Stingrays match report

Contact the photographer: Trina.Kirk@prohockeynews.com

PHN’s Best Shots of the Game: Solar Bears drop Icemen, 5-4

Posted on January 12, 2026 by Trina Kirk

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Orlando’s Tyler Byrd scored twice, including the would be game winner at 7:01 of the third period as the Solar Bears out-dueled the Jacksonville Icemen, 5-4 in front of 10,182 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on Friday night. PHN’s Trina Kirk filed the following photos of the hard-fought contest.

Contact the photographer: Trina.Kirk@prohockeynews.com